


Paso Doble

by Warp5Complex_Archivist



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-14
Updated: 2006-03-14
Packaged: 2018-08-16 05:52:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8090008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Warp5Complex_Archivist/pseuds/Warp5Complex_Archivist
Summary: Hoshi learns something a bit surprising about Malcolm. Set in Season 1. (12/17/2004)





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Kylie Lee, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Warp 5 Complex](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Warp_5_Complex), the software of which ceased to be maintained and created a security hazard. To make future maintenance and archive growth easier, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but I may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Warp 5 Complex collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Warp5Complex).

  
Author's notes: Thanks to Chibi-Kaz, who inspired the original "Sports" story with a posting saying, "Have we ever seen a baseball reference on Enterprise? All I recall seeing are the waterpolo scores. What sports do you think Malcolm might be into? Hoshi? The rest of the crew?" The Paso Doble is a dance from Spain that symbolizes a bullfight. The male dancer's movements represent those of the bullfighter, while those of the female represent his cape. It's a very theatrical dance with lots of poses, leaps, stomps and attitude.  


* * *

Malcolm stood in front of Hoshi's door, as promised, the disk containing the recording of the European figure skating championships in one hand, a bag in the other. The door opened, revealing Hoshi, an eager expression on her face, wearing an odd, bright pink sweatshirt with an embroidered, fuzzy, white bunny on the front. Malcolm looked at her chest, then back to her face, puzzled. "Interesting jumper," he said dryly. "I don't believe I've seen that one before."

She smiled, looking down at her sweater, stroking the bunny with one hand. "Yeah," she said fondly as she moved aside, allowing him to enter her cabin. "I'm wearing it in honor of the skating." She looked up at him, her enthusiasm apparent. "We used to wear them when we'd go see figure skating competitions."

Malcolm walked into her room, sliding the recording onto her desk next to her monitor. He placed his bag on the floor beside the bed. "We?"

Hoshi blushed. "Yeah, my friends and I," she said, sitting on her bed and waving Malcolm into place beside her. He sat so they were both facing the monitor, and Hoshi leaned forward so that she could get the recording going. "We'd all wear these sweaters, and we'd sit together. It was sort of a tradition."

Malcolm couldn't help it. The corner of his mouth twitched.

Hoshi saw this and her blush strengthened. "Hey, we were young," she protested.

"Sorry, Hoshi," he said, trying to smother his smile.

* * *

Malcolm groaned as the recording broke away from the competition and an announcer started speaking. Images of one of the skaters walking through a shopping plaza started playing. "I hate fluff pieces."

Hoshi turned to him, confused. "Hunh?"

He motioned toward the screen. "These things. Where they interview the skaters about their favourite places to shop, or that sort of, um, fluff. They're inane."

"I like them," Hoshi said, frowning. "It's nice to know a little bit about the athletes beyond their stats."

Malcolm watched her, a hint of a smile on his face. "Well, if I'm going to have to watch the fluff, I'll need a drink." He reached down to the bag he'd brought in, drawing out two bottles. He shot back over his shoulder, "Would you like one?"

"Sure."

He handed her a bottle, then glanced back into the bag. "How about some crisps?"

"Maybe later," she replied, taking a sip from her drink. "Thanks."

They watched the recording for a few more minutes. As the fluff continued, Malcolm turned back to Hoshi. "So, what started the tradition?"

Hoshi looked at him, confused.

He looked pointedly at her sweater.

"Oh! Oh, yeah. I'm not sure, actually. One of my friend's great-grandmothers wore something like it to a skating comp once. It caused quite the stir, so she wore it to a few more events. She became a bit notorious for it." She looked at her bunny, tickling its ears. "I don't know why, I think they're kind of nice." She looked back up at him. "It got passed down through the generations." Defensively, she added. "I think it's cool."

Malcolm smiled at her gently. "Actually, it is nice."

Hoshi nudged him with her shoulder. "We're back," she said, turning back to the vid as the competition resumed.

* * *

"You know a lot about skating," Malcolm asked Hoshi during a pause in the action. "Did you compete yourself, or are you just a huge fan?"

"I competed when I was younger."

"Did you test?"

"Yeah, just through Juvenile Moves in the Field, though. I did some comps myself, but then I changed to synchro." Hoshi took a sip from her drink. "How 'bout you?"

Malcolm looked back to the screen, hesitating. He took a sip from his own drink, then said, softly, "I competed a little."

"Really?" Hoshi said with enthusiasm. "Did you test?"

Malcolm nodded, blushing slightly.

"To what level?"

He fidgeted, his fingers playing along the side of his glass. "Um, I took my gold dance tests." He took a sip of his drink, peering at her over the rim, waiting for her response.

"Jesus, Malcolm," Hoshi exclaimed, amazed, bouncing slightly on the bed. "That's as high as you can go!" Her brow wrinkled. "You must be _very_ good."

Malcolm nodded, smiling slightly. "I suppose I do fairly well."

Hoshi smiled at him, delighted. "Did you do any big competitions?"

Malcolm twirled the glass and glanced down at his hands, embarrassed. "Some."

"Like..."

Malcolm returned his gaze to hers. "I represented Malaysia in Skate Asia, and also the Four Continents championship." With each, increasingly elite, competition, Hoshi's eyes widened, and he started smiling. He nodded toward the screen. "Later, and with a different partner, I went to British Nationals, and also Europeans, although that just the once." His smile faltered when he noticed a look of exasperation cross her face. "What?"

"When?" Hoshi asked.

"When, what?" he responded, confused.

"When did you do Skate Asia?"

"Um, I was 19, so that was, I think, 2141."

"I was there."

Malcolm's eyes widened.

"I must have seen you skate. I was so far from the ice, though..." Hoshi slid forward on the bed, jumping off it and crouching down, rummaging underneath. "Hold on," she muttered, thrusting her head and shoulders under the bed. He heard her rummaging around, and then some pages flicking. He then heard a muffled, "Aha!," and she began manouevering herself back out. She hid something behind her back, and stood in front of him, smiling. "I have something here you need to see," she said suggestively, wiggling her eyebrows at him.

Malcolm looked at her warily.

"Are you ready for this?" she said, smiling broadly.

He raised one eyebrow. "I suppose so."

"Are you _sure_ you're ready for this?" she laughed.

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, Hoshi," he said with mock-impatience.

Hoshi thrust a booklet at him, and he took it in his hands, staring down at it, slightly awed. "Oh, my," he murmured, shaking his head. He looked back up at her. "Where did you get this?"

"I told you, I was _there,_ she replied, grinning widely. "I was about eight years old; I had to buy the program." She sat next to him as he opened the booklet and began turning pages. Seeing the look on his face, she nudged his shoulder, whispering, "It gets worse. Turn to page 32."

Malcolm looked up at her, a hint of nervousness in his eyes, then back to the book. Dutifully, a bit cautiously, he turned to the page she'd mentioned, revealing a picture of himself on the ice with his partner, captured in the midst of a move. He groaned.

Hoshi looked over his arm at the photo. He looked younger, of course, with longer hair flying out behind him and a goatee. His face held a rapt expression as he supported his partner in a traveling lift. Hoshi smiled, whispering again, "Now turn the page."

His eyes still on the book, he did so, revealing another picture of the pair, this time on the medal stand, bronze around their necks. "Autographed?" he murmured.

Hoshi nodded. "I made my parents wait for an hour so that I could get that from you." Malcolm looked up at her, and she nudged him again. "Who knew that I'd end up sitting right next to you? I could have saved my parents the time." She stared at him for a moment. "I didn't recognize you, though. You look different."

Malcolm shifted uncomfortably. "Well, that was some time ago; my hair was longer then, and I had a goatee."

She glanced towards the photo. "Yes, the goatee was an, um, interesting choice on you."

"Well, the required rhythms that year were 'Latin dances', so our coach..."

Hoshi nodded. Then she gave him a slight smirk. "A male ice dancer. You must have been _very_ popular with the ladies at the rink.

Malcolm nodded. "Yeah, and it helped in the clubs, too, that I could dance."

"I'll bet. Women love that." She slid closer to him, faux seductive. "There's definitely not enough of that. Men who can dance are H-O-T hot," she breathed, looking up into his eyes.

He looked down at her with a shy smile. "Perhaps you could join me some time?"

Hoshi straightened up. "But we're on a starship."

Malcolm's smile broadened. "The next time we're on Earth. There's a nice rink just outside San Francisco. I used to coach there, while I was in the Academy. I'm sure I could arrange for some ice, give you a few dance lessons."

Uncertainly, she replied, "It's been a looong time since I've skated, and I can't ice dance at all."

Malcolm returned her leer from earlier. "I'll teach you," he said, seductively. "We can do the Paso Doble."

"Ah, the Paso Doble...that's so, passionate," she said breathily, raising her eyebrows. Then she laughed. "It's a date."

* * *

As the recording ended, Hoshi turned back to Malcolm, frankly appraising. "So, why don't we know this?"

"Pardon?"

She just looked at him.

After a moment, he smiled. "I put it on my application to the Academy, of course..." He shrugged. "I suppose that it's not the type of thing that comes up in the course of a normal conversation on a starship."

"Does the captain know?"

"I'm not sure." He cocked his head, thinking. "It's not exactly part of the requirements to be a tactical officer, now is it?"

"I guess not," she replied, her brow furrowing. "Hey, so, you said you were at Skate Asia when you were 19. How'd you do that _and_ go to college?"

"I didn't. I took a couple of years off, before university, so I could train and compete full-time. I wanted to see how far I could go." He shrugged.

"I'd say you made a good choice."

Malcolm nodded, blushing slightly.

She patted him on the arm. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

Malcolm smiled, then shifted forward on the bed, getting ready to leave. Hoshi leaned back against the wall. "Do you miss it?" she asked quietly as he gathered his things.

Malcolm nodded, turning to face her again.

"Do you still have your skates?"

"I do," he said as he leaned forward and pulled the recording from the monitor.

"Here?"

He nodded again.

"Why?"

He turned and looked at her. "Just in case."

She nodded. "Me, too. Just in case."


End file.
